


Nicest Thing

by kitlee625, Sarahastro



Series: Doctors AU [2]
Category: Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D. (TV)
Genre: Alternate Universe, F/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2014-01-02
Updated: 2014-01-02
Packaged: 2018-01-07 03:23:59
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,813
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/1114896
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/kitlee625/pseuds/kitlee625, https://archiveofourown.org/users/Sarahastro/pseuds/Sarahastro
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Scenes from an almost romance. Coulson and May always insist that they were just friends in residency. That is true. Mostly.</p>
            </blockquote>





	Nicest Thing

**Author's Note:**

> When we started writing _Doctors of S.H.I.E.L.D._ we intended to only include canon ships as they unfold, but being Coulson/May shippers we couldn't help but write a shippy backstory. 
> 
> The title and lyrics are from the song _Nicest Thing_ by Kate Nash.

_All I know is that you're so nice_  
 _You're the nicest thing I've seen_  
 _I wish that we could give it a go_  
 _See if we could be something_

June

 

Two weeks before the start of the new year, the head of the residency program invited all of the chief residents over to dinner. When Coulson had told Jenny about it, she had sighed but agreed to go. She had been furious when he told her he had been made chief resident, but in the end there was nothing she could do to keep him from accepting. The past few months had been very tense. He wanted to be sensitive to her feelings, but he could not stop himself from being excited.

“Who are the other chiefs?” she asked as they drove over.

“Mike Grunwald, Melinda May, and Karthik Suresh. I think you’ve met all of them.”

She nodded and stared out the window.

“I know you’re not happy about this,” he said, “but it’s only a year.”

“And then three years of fellowship. You said you want to stay at Hopkins.”

“I like it here. This is one of the best hospitals in the world.”

“I know that. But it’s in Baltimore. You know I hate living here. The drugs, the crime - is this really where you want us to raise our kids?”

“It’s only a few years,” he said. “Just a few more years, and then we can start a family.”

She sighed. “You’ve been saying that for years.”

He gripped the steering wheel tighter. “Can we not do this now?”

It was a relief to arrive and be surrounded by other people. Jenny put on a smile and pretended to be thrilled that he was going to be chief resident. “I’m so proud of him,” she said, and he realized that it was the first time he had heard her say that since he got the job.

While she talked to Suresh’s wife, he went over to talk to May. “I’m going to be taking over your old team,” he said. “Do you have any advice for me?”

“Watch out for Clint Barton. He’s a good doctor, but kind of a trouble maker.”

“Thanks for the head’s up.” He smiled at her. “Well I’m glad that you’ll be there too. We can look out for each other.”

*****

_I wish I was your favorite girl_  
 _I wish you thought I was the reason_  
 _You are in the world_

 

July

 

Being chief resident was a lot harder than May thought it would be. Before she started she would not have thought it possible to work longer hours than she had as a resident, but now she has spent every waking moment in the hospital. She wondered how the other chief residents managed. At least she did not have any other responsibilities. All of the others were married, and Grunwald had a son.

She was reading some case reports trying to find something that would help her figure out what was going on with one of her mysterious patients when she was interrupted by a knock on the door. She was surprised. It was after 1 AM, and she had thought that everyone else had gone home for the day.

Coulson was standing in the doorway. “Hey. Are you hungry? I was going to get something to eat.”

She realized that she had forgotten to have dinner again. “Sure.”

While they were eating in the cafeteria she noticed that he looked sad.

“Is something wrong?”

He forced a smile. “Everything’s fine.” She looked at him until he admitted, “It’s nothing work-related.”

“What is it?”

“My wife and I were supposed to go out to dinner tonight. It’s our anniversary.”

“Oh. I’m sorry. I would have covered your patients for you so you could make it.”

“I couldn’t ask you to do that.” He sighed, then said, “She says that no one should have to work this hard. The truth is, I want to work this hard. I just wish she understood.”

May nodded. “I know.”

*****

_I wish my smile was your favorite kinda smile_  
 _I wish the way that I dressed_  
 _Was your favorite kind of style_

 

October

 

“I didn’t think you were going to make it,” Coulson said when May arrived at the Halloween Party.

“We had a few emergencies. I had to come straight from the hospital.” She was still wearing the clothes that she wore to work that day. “Nice costume.”

He beamed. “Thanks. I came from the hospital too, but I changed in my office.”

“Didn’t you wear that last year?”

“I like Captain America,” he said defensively.

“You didn’t want to mix it up a little bit? Batman? Superman?”

Coulson shook his head. “Captain America is an Avenger.”

He expected her to roll her eyes at him, but she just gave him a fond smile.

*****

_I wish you couldn't figure me out_  
 _But you'd always wanna know what I was about_  
 _I wish you'd hold my hand when I was upset_  
 _I wish you'd never forget_  
 _The look on my face when we first met_

 

July, three years earlier

 

The first time May met Coulson he was arguing with an attending.

“My patient needs his valve replaced.” His voice was calm but firm.

The surgeon on the other hand sounded livid. “My team already told you that we’re not taking him. He’s too sick to survive the surgery.”

“He’ll die without it.”

“Who the hell do you think you are? I am the chairman of cardiac surgery.”

“Phil Coulson. I’m one of the new interns.”

This seemed to enrage the surgeon even more. “You’ve been a doctor for a few months. I’ve been a doctor for thirty years. I don’t speak to interns.” He turned and walked away.

Coulson clenched his fists in frustration, then noticed that May was watching him.

May came over to him. “Nice job.”

He looked at her as if trying to tell if she was being sarcastic. “Thanks.”

“I’m Melinda May.”

“Phil Coulson.”

“Are you on call today too?” He nodded. “I’ll see you around then.”

Later that night his patient’s heart stopped beating. They tried to resuscitate him for nearly an hour before the senior resident arrived and called time of death. Coulson was shaking, and she reached over and squeezed his hand. Afterwards, she sat with him while he called the family.

*****

_I wish you had a favorite beauty spot_  
 _That you loved secretly_  
 _'Cos it was on a hidden bit_  
 _That nobody else could see_

December

 

“I wish we didn’t have to go to this. I have so much work to do,” Coulson said. He was standing in the doorway to her office.

“It’s just for a few hours,” May said.

“I’m not really in a holiday mood.”

She gave him a sympathetic smile. “It’ll mean a lot to the residents if you’re there. Can you close the door?”

He did and was surprised to find her getting undressed when he turned around. “Do you want me to leave?” he stammered.

“Why? We’re both doctors. Nothing you haven’t seen before.” May stripped off her dark pants and shirt and pulled on her dress for the holiday party. After zipping herself up she looked at herself at the small mirror on her wall and scowled. “I’ve gotten so pale and out of shape this year.”

Coulson shook his head and felt guilty as he said, “You look great.”

*****

_Basically, I wish that you loved me_  
 _I wish that you needed me_  
 _I wish that you knew when I said two sugars_  
 _Actually I meant three_

 

January

 

May slid into the booth next to Coulson. “Sorry I’m late. What are we drinking?”

“Natty Bo,” Barton said, lifting the pitcher. “Want some?”

May made a face. “How can you drink that crap?”

“It’s fine,” Barton said, “plus I make less than you two.”

May rolled her eyes. “I’ll be right back.”

When she returned from the bathroom, there was a shot of Scotch waiting for you. “Thanks, Coulson. What is it?”

“Macallan. I know what you like.”

Coulson did not seem to notice, but Barton rolled his eyes at this. May glared at him as she took a sip.

*****

_I wish that without me your heart would break_  
 _Yeah, I wish that without me_  
 _You'd be spending the rest of your nights awake_

 

February

 

“You slept at the hospital again?” May asked.

“My wife kicked me out,” Coulson admitted. “She wants a divorce.”

“I’m sorry.” She noticed a suitcase shoved into the corner. “You’re living in your office?”

“I haven’t had time to find an apartment.”

She gave him a look. “You can’t live here. You can stay with me.”

“It might be a while,” he said. “I don’t really have time to go apartment hunting.”

“That’s fine. I’m hardly ever there anyway.”

*****

_I wish that without me you couldn't eat_  
 _Yeah, I wish I was the last thing on your mind_  
 _Before you went to sleep_

 

April

 

Coulson blinked groggily as the door to the on call room opened.

“What are you two doing in here?” Barton yelled.

“Do you need something?”

“We’re napping,” May said. “We had a free hour.”

“Together? You’re sleeping in a single bed together.” He glared at them. “What is wrong with you? This is why everyone is always gossiping about you two. Don’t you get enough of this at home?”

“This isn’t a big deal,” Coulson said. “We’re both fully dressed. I came in here to take a nap, and Melinda was already in here.”

“You have a couch in your office. Why not sleep there?”

“I didn’t want to walk all the way back there. I only had an hour.”

Barton shook his head. “This is why no one believes you when you say that you’re not in the relationship.”

“We’re not.”

He rolled his eyes. “We’re ready to round.”

Neither of them ever brought up the encounter with Barton, but that was the last time they took a nap together at the hospital.

*****

_Look, all I know is that_  
 _You're the nicest thing I've ever seen_  
 _And I wish we could see if we could be something_  
 _Yeah, I wish we could see if we could be something_

 

June

 

Coulson watched May pack up the last of her books into boxes for her move to Houston.

“Thanks for letting me stay here,” he said. “Sorry if it made things a little crowded.”

“It wasn’t a problem,” she said.

“I’m glad you were chief resident this year too. Having you here made the year a lot better.”

“You too.” She turned around and smiled at him.

“Good luck at MD Anderson next year.”

“Thanks. Good luck in cardiology fellowship. It must be nice to be staying. Not having to start over someplace new.”

He nodded. “It’s not going to be the same without you though.”


End file.
